Washinqioh



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. F. RICHARDS.

v GAR BUFFER. No. 495,060 Patented Apr. 11, 1893.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. F. RICHARDS.

0A5. BUFFER. .No. 495,060. Patented Apr. 11, 1893.

| I l l l 1 ffinesaqs (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. F. RICHARDS. OAR BUFFER.

No. 495,060. Patented Apr. 11, 1893 ll lilloh (No Morlel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. F. RICHARDS.

GAB. BUFFER.

Patented Apr. 11, 1893.

- mew).

NH M m UNITED STATES PATENT WILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-BU FFER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,060, dated April 11, 1893. Application filed October 31, 1892. $erial No. 450,516. (No model.)

same in rounding curves, and in which the.

buffer is provided on opposite sides of its pivot is with righting springs for returning it to its normal position parallel with the end of the car after passing a curve. The buffer is usually supported upon a stem or bar upon which is arranged a comparatively light spring for holding it in its extended position and a heavy buffer spring for opposing any violent shocks received by the cars. Prior to my invention these buders were provided with righting springs which served the additional function;

2 5 of supplementing the buffing action of the springs on the buffer stem; and in order to hold the buffer in its normal position with sufficient security to prevent its rattling when free or out of contact with an opposing car,

these combined righting and buiiing springsv were made of such a length as to be under partial compression in the free or projected position of the buffer. W'hen extended to its outermost position, the buifer usually pro- 3 5 jects about two inches beyond the retracted position which it occupies when the car is coupled to an opposing car, so that when the,

righting springs of the buder are already partially compressed in the extended position of. 40 the buffer, as above mentioned,theresistance offered by such springs must be overcome in addition to that of the light extension spring of thebuffer in coupling and uncoupling the cars, which is objectionable because in order to facilitate these operations, the resisting power of the springs which press out the buffer should be as light as possible, and yet sufficient to project the butter to the required extent.

5c The object of my invention is to provide the buffer with simple and effective spring mechanism which acts not only to right or square the bufier when swung out of its normal position, but which at the same time augments the power of the buifer springs on the carrying stem of the buffer, without offering excessive additional resistance to the light extension spring of the buffer.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of four sheets:Figure 1 is a sectional top plan view of the platform of a railway car provided with my improved buffer mechanism, showing the buifer free .or wholly projected, the flooring of the platform being omitted to expose subjacent parts. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the platform, showing the position of the parts when the buffer is pressed inward by contact with an adjoining car, and the coupled cars are in line or running onastraight section of track. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of 0 the platform showing the position of the parts when the buffer is pressed inward andswung at an angle to the end of the car in rounding a curve. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the longitudinal timbers of the stationary car platform, B the cross timber connecting the outer ends of the longi- 8o tudinal timbers and O the end sill of the car body.

D is the draw bar which may be of any ordinary construction.

E is the buffer or yielding extension of the 8 5 platform which preferably consists of a transverse vertical bufier plate having at its upper end a horizontal threshold plate 6 which extends inwardly over the end timber B and is overlapped by a foot-plate e secured to go the upper side of the end timber.

F is the main buffer bar or stem which carries the bufferE at its outer end and is guided with its outer portion in an opening formed in the end timber of the platform and with 5 its inner portion in a similar opening formed in a block F secured between the longitudinal central timbers of the platform. The bufler is pivoted centrally to the outer end of the main buffer stem by a vertical pin or bolt, Ico

so as to be free to oscillate and assume an angular position with relation to the end of the stationary platform.

H represents the light spiral spring arranged on the contracted inner portion of the butter stem between a shoulder onthe latter and the block F and which yieldingly holds the buffer in its projected position.

I is the main or' heavy buffer spring surrounding the light extension spring H and which sustains any heavy shocks which over-,

the stay rods K K between theouter ends of I the lugs I and shoulders or collars Z formed on the front portion of the stay rods. These 7 auxiliary springs are made of such a length that when the buffer is free or projected, as

' shownin Fig. 1, they have a clearance at their I that they do not aidin resisting the inward movement of the butter until the latter has 3 been pressed inward a sufficient distance to bring'the shoulders of its stay rods against ments Z, of say three-fourths of an inch, so

the outer ends of the auxiliary louder-springs, as shown in Fig. 2. v

M M are spiral rightingsprings applied to the inner portions of the stay rods and interposed between the inner ends of the lugs k and shoulders or washers m which are secured to the rear ends of the stay rods so as to take part in the inward and outward movements of the rods. The end sill O of the car body is formed in its front side with recesses n which permit the stay rods to recede to the requisite extent when the buffer is pushed to its innermost position.

The righting springs are of such a length as to be under compression so long as the buffer is fully projected or free from contact with an adjoining car, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, so as to be wholly relaxed when the bufier is pushed inward, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that when the buffer is free or wholly extended, the righting springs oppose any oscillating or swinging movements of the buffer, and therefore not only hold the buffer parallel with the end of the car, but in connection with the light extension spring also serve to prevent it from rattling.

The righting springs are less powerful than the light extension spring of the bufier, so as not to defeat the action of the same.

As soon as the butter is pushed inward by contact with an opposing car, the stay rods move inward with the buffer and the righting springs are relaxed, while the auxiliary buffersprings are compressed, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the latter springs augment the bulhng action of the light extension spring H. I I

hen thebuifer assumes an angular position in rounding a curve, as shown in Fig. 3, the righting spring M connected with the inwardly-swung end of the buffer is relaxed and the auxiliary bufier spring L connected with the same end thereof is compressed, while the righting spring M connected with they outwardly-s-wun g end of the buffer is compressed and the auxiliary bufier spring L connected with: the same end thereof is relaxed. The movement of the pivoted buffer into this angular position is thus opposed by the righting spring on one of the stay rods and the diagonally opposite auxiliary bufier spring on the other stay rod, while the remaining righting spring and auxiliary buffer spring are relaxed so that as soon as the cars round the curve the compressed righting and auxiliary buffer springs both react and return the buffer to.its normal position parallel with the end of the car, the righting spring pulling the outwardly-swung end of the buifer inward,and the buifer'spring pushing its in- I wardly-swungend outward without encoune outer ends with reference to the front abuttering any resistance by the remaining it is effectually and promptly righted upon" passing the curve. I

My improved bnfier mechanism while com,- bining the advantages of the righting and auxiliary buder springs heretofore employed, obviates the disad vantage of increasing the resistance to coupling and uncoupling cars, found in such prior devices.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the stationary car platform, the longitudinally movable bufier or platform extension and its central extension spring, of buffer springs operating upon the buffer on opposite sides of said extension spring and having clearance between their end abutments in the outermost position of the buffer, whereby said springs are wholly relaxed except when the buifer is pressed inw'ard by contact with an opposing car, and separate retainingsprings also operating upon the buffer, which are compressed in the outermost position of the buffer and are relaxed when the bufier is pressed inward beyond such position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the stationary car platform and the longitudinally movable buffer provided on opposite sides of its center with longitudinal stay rods sliding in stationary lugs or abutments arranged on the platform, of buffer springs surrounding said stay rods and each bearing at its rear end directly against the front side of the adjacent sta tionary abutment, and at its front end against a shoulder on its stay rod, and independent righting springs also surrounding said stay rods and each bearing at its front end against the rear side of the adjacent stationary abut ment and at its rear end against a stop or shoulder on its rod, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the stationary ear platform, the centrally pivoted bufier, and its central extension spring, of stationary guide lugs arranged on the platform,stay rods pivoted at their front ends to the bufier on opposite sides of-its center and sliding with their rear portions in said guide lugs, buffer springs arranged on said stay rods and each interposed between the front side of the adjacent guide log and a shoulder on its rod, said springs being wholly relaxed in the outermost position of the buffer, and independent right- 15 WILLARD F. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, FRED. C. GEYER. 

